Cmaj7 arpeggio

[Gregorski]

A stupid question, perhaps, from a baffled beginner: Why Cmaj7 arpeggio? Why not C major, not even C dominant 7, but Cmaj7?

Couple weeks ago I watched one of Scott's videos, this one: . And he goes over 4 most important arpeggios starting with Cmaj7, then C7, Cm7, and Cm7flat5. Weird, I thought and stopped watching, because right now I could use a lesson on C major and minor arpeggios (no numbers). Then I stumbled upon one of Ariane Cap's lessons, and she does the same thing - she teaches the same arpeggios even in the same order. I have been playing music (true, not jazz) for some years now, but have come across Cmaj7 chord once, maybe twice. I do understand that Cmajor arpeggio is embedded in Cmaj7, and the major 7th will not necessarily sound wrong against the C chord (or will it?), but still... Why this arpeggio? What is it used for? I won't even go to Cm7flat5.
cheers,

 

[bass12]

Major scale harmony. What’s the first mode? What kind of seventh does that mode have? What are the sources of the ii, V and I chords?

 

[BassChuck]

They are all used in jazz, and many other kinds of music. If, for instance you're going to play a 7th chord off each scale step, in the key of C would be: Cmaj7, Dm7, Em7, Fmaj7, G7, Am7, Bo7, Cmaj7.
There are many other examples of the different forms of 7th chords in music theory that covers all styles and eras. You might consider checking out www.Jazzbook.com and see about their free book. Also there are tons of other materials there that will aid you in your musical journey.
Good luck. The more you learn the more fun you'll have.

 

[Mushroo]

I can think of at least two reasons to study CMaj7 arpeggios: a music-theory reason, and a practical reason.

The music theory reason is because the C major scale (CDEFGABC) is traditionally taught first, as the foundation of learning. If you build a 7th chord from the first note of the C Major scale, that chord is C, E, G, B = CMaj7. If you skip over this important knowledge, then you are learning out-of-order, and your theory studies won't have a solid foundation.

The practical reason is so we can play songs with major 7th chords. Wikipedia has a list of famous songs that use this type of chord: Major seventh chord - Wikipedia

Weird, I thought and stopped watching, because right now I could use a lesson on C major and minor arpeggios (no numbers).

If you haven't mastered major and minor triads yet, then you are learning out-of-order. First learn triads, and then you will be ready to study 7th chords. Lessons with a good teacher are the best way to bring organization and structure to your studies.

 

[Reedt2000]

The arpeggios are all built out of different scales and the modes associated with them. As a fretted stringed instrument player, it is often useful to practice the shapes of arpeggios on the fretboard with the same root note. This is a purely a fingering exercise and doesn't imply anything about how or why you use a particular group of notes, only that you know the fingerings for the most common chord types. You decide which arpeggios and other tones you use in a given situation based on the harmonic context, genre conventions, and personal style.

 

[FatStringer52]

There has already been very good information presented here.

Western music is built around the stacking of thirds. 7th chords (arpeggios) are just a step beyond the major and minor triads. Extensions, Altered Extensions, Added Note Chords, Suspensions, and on and on go farther than 7th chords. The notes beyond the basic triads add a certain "flavor" to the chord.

There are 4 basic ways to stack thirds:

Major third + minor third = Major Triad

Minor third + Major third = Minor Triad

Major third + major third = Augmented Triad

Minor third + minor third = Diminished Triad

Stacking another third on top of the above triads creates 7th chords.

Here are two very good videos. The first is what you were seeking in the OP -- a lesson on triads. The second video takes it a step further into the 7th chords which should provide you with some valuable insight.





Hope these help . . .

 

[Malcolm35]

stupid question, I have been playing music (true, not jazz) for some years now, but have come across Cmaj7 chord once, maybe twice. I do understand that Cmajor arpeggio is embedded in Cmaj7, and the major 7th will not necessarily sound wrong against the C chord (or will it?), but still... Why this arpeggio? What is it used for? I won't even go to Cm7flat5.
cheers,

Simple answer, it fills out a C chord, and gives a fuller sound. You poses a good question. With the Praise and Country bands I played in I'd probably just play a root C or do a root five and move on. But, a bass line of R-3-5-7 would give the sound a Cmaj7 chord is asking for. Cm=R-b3-5-8 and the C7=R-3-5-b7 and the Cm7 =R-b3-5-b7 and that diminished seventh, which we seldom see would be R-b3-b5-b7.

I think the answer is we play what the song needs... and our skill level lets us. I for years read a chord from the left to the right, getting in as many chord tones as I thought were necessary, or the song let me before it went off and left me. It really boils down to what the band wants you to do.

Praise asked for roots to the beat. Country wanted a root-five with chromatic runs between the changes.

Yes this and $2.38 gets a cup of coffee, at the local café, if you can get out .....

 

[Gregorski]

There has already been very good information presented here.

Western music is built around the stacking of thirds. 7th chords (arpeggios) are just a step beyond the major and minor triads. Extensions, Altered Extensions, Added Note Chords, Suspensions, and on and on go farther than 7th chords. The notes beyond the basic triads add a certain "flavor" to the chord.

There are 4 basic ways to stack thirds:

Major third + minor third = Major Triad

Minor third + Major third = Minor Triad

Major third + major third = Augmented Triad

Minor third + minor third = Diminished Triad

Stacking another third on top of the above triads creates 7th chords.

Here are two very good videos. The first is what you were seeking in the OP -- a lesson on triads. The second video takes it a step further into the 7th chords which should provide you with some valuable insight.





Hope these help . . .

Great! Thank you Fatstringer. Reading your post and watching the second video was definitely an epiphany moment for me.

 

[Gregorski]

Simple answer, it fills out a C chord, and gives a fuller sound. You poses a good question. With the Praise and Country bands I played in I'd probably just play a root C or do a root five and move on. But, a bass line of R-3-5-7 would give the sound a Cmaj7 chord is asking for. Cm=R-b3-5-8 and the C7=R-3-5-b7 and the Cm7 =R-b3-5-b7 and that diminished seventh, which we seldom see would be R-b3-b5-b7.

I think the answer is we play what the song needs... and our skill level lets us. I for years read a chord from the left to the right, getting in as many chord tones as I thought were necessary, or the song let me before it went off and left me. It really boils down to what the band wants you to do.

Praise asked for roots to the beat. Country wanted a root-five with chromatic runs between the changes.

Yes this and $2.38 gets a cup of coffee, at the local café, if you can get out .....

Yes, I understand that a lot (if not everything) depends on the context, but would you play R-3-5-7 against a regular C chord. If so, in what context?

 

[Reedt2000]

but would you play R-3-5-7 against a regular C chord. If so, in what context?

It hard to give a specific answer to that question. You can include the 7 as a melodic tone in a line when you want the dissonance it gives you against the root tone. It can be used as a passing tone (5 6 7 R), or as a neighbor note (2 7 R). It is the 3rd of the G7 chord in Cmaj so it's used when in the key of C, but playing over other chords. I think the real answer here us use it against a C major chord when your ears tell you it's what wants to be heard .

 

[mambo4]

I understand that a lot (if not everything) depends on the context, but would you play R-3-5-7 against a regular C chord.

Bluntly: no . I would favor the 6th over the 7th if it's not called for explicitly. For styles that avoid major 7th chords, the major 6th usually sounds more appropriate. It provides nice melodic motion without unscripted dissonance.

 

[mambo4]

Why this arpeggio? What is it used for?

A couple things not mentioned:
1.)we don't practice arpeggios in order to play arpeggios. We practice them to build our mental and muscle map of where the chord tones are , and our aural map of what they sound like.
2.) for harmonic use, 7th chords are grouped into "stable" and "unstable", based on the 7th. If a chord contains a major 7th it is considered stable, and doesn't "want" to move to another chord. If it has a flat 7th, it is "unstable" and wants to resolve to the cord a 5th below (or to some substitute thereof)

 

[kevindahl]

Think of apreggios as chord tones. Chord tone knowledge is necessary for soloing especially in genres like Jazz. You want to play more dissonant then don't play chord tones. Playing an F note over a CMaj7 is going to sound cruel to the ears. On the Bass apreggios can open your lines as well as helping you get to another part of the neck. Of course these are just examples.

 

[SteveCS]

... Playing an F note over a CMaj7 is going to sound cruel to the ears. ...

...but can sound well if you plant an F at the bottom...

 

[Groove Master]

Basically the fourth note in an arpeggio can tell you more about the function of the chord then a triad.

 

[Pacman]

Another thing not mentioned is that sequence of chords goes from the least altered (not at all) to the most altered related to the major scale.

 

[Malcolm35]

Yes, I understand that a lot (if not everything) depends on the context, but would you play R-3-5-7 against a regular C chord. If so, in what context?

If it sounds good it is good. If I was going for the full sound I'd probably go R-3-5-8 with a pure C. But nothing wrong with the major 7 as Cmaj7 is a major seven chord, i.e. it is not a b7 which implies it could be part of a minor chord, R-b3-5-b7 or part of a dominant seven chord, R-3-5-b7.

Any major scale note, like the 8-9-11 would also fit. And then we get off into inversions:
R-3-5-7
3-5-7-R
5-7-R-3

But again only if it sounds good and the vocalist wants stuff like this, we do what the band wants first. The bands I played for wanted to hear the root first (vocalist like this) so that is what I did with those bands. Like root on the first beat then the 5 on the 3rd beat or my ole standby R-5-8-5 seemed to fit most of the time.

A full four count chord is used in jazz as is the ii-V7-I chord progression Pop, Rock, etc. seem to get by with less.

 

[Malcolm35]

Little more on full four count chords, R-3-5-7. Lot of the time the keyboard will fill out the chord with their left hand, leaving us with not a lot of room.

Some time they only play the root or the root five with the left where the right hand provides the melody notes.

My point full count harmony chords do not always need to start with the root or include all chord tones in the harmony. We and the keyboard need to work together so we do not step on each other's toes.

 

[Gregorski]

Bluntly: no . I would favor the 6th over the 7th if it's not called for explicitly. For styles that avoid major 7th chords, the major 6th usually sounds more appropriate. It provides nice melodic motion without unscripted dissonance.

Well, yes, but then wouldn't you favor C6 arpeggio or C9 or even C13 over Cmaj7?

 

[mambo4]

Well, yes, but then wouldn't you favor C6 arpeggio or C9 or even C13 over Cmaj7?

Because the chord asked about was explicitly a "regular C chord".
I'd play all the notes of C major that my experience and ear have told me sound good over a "regular C chord" ,
given the conventions of whatever style the song is in.
I would not spend mental effort thinking of some unspecified chord substitution.

Once you get past the triad, style has as much to say as harmony about what sounds good.